Sir David Attenborough shared advice for people looking to reconnect with nature, and our reporter tested out the tip
It’s no secret that many of us feel disconnected from nature thanks to our lifestyles. Whether you spend your day rushing from one meeting to the next or you’re stuck behind a screen for hours, it’s easy to spend the better part of the day indoors, and yet, being out in nature can boost our mental wellbeing.
I’m sorry to say I’m one of the many people who often miss out on the benefits of spending time outdoors. More often than not, I’ll go to the gym to work out, and when I do go for a walk or run outdoors, I never stop to smell the roses, so to speak.
So I was intrigued when I heard Sir David Attenborough’s advice for people keen to reconnect with nature—and even more interested to learn that this simple practice is associated with a whole host of mental and physical health benefits.
The broadcaster and naturalist, who turns 99 today (May 8), shared his wisdom in a 2021 episode of Call Of The Wild. He told podcast host Cel Spellman about a simple practice that doesn’t require much time.
“Sit down. Don’t move,” said Sir David. “Keep quiet. Wait ten minutes. You’ll be very surprised if something pretty interesting didn’t happen. Doing that in a woodland, if you haven’t done it, it’s extraordinary. Don’t get too impatient, either.”
What’s more, research suggests following the advice could boost your physical and mental health. A 2020 study from Cornell University found that students who spent as little as 10 minutes in the natural world daily were less affected by physical and mental stress.
“It doesn’t take much time for the positive benefits to kick in – we’re talking 10 minutes outside in a space with nature,” said Associate Professor Gen Meredith at the time. “We firmly believe that every student, no matter what subject or how high their workload, has that much discretionary time each day, or at least a few times per week.”
Elsewhere, Professor Heather Eliassen of Harvard University told Pop Sugar that exposure to green space has been linked to improved sleep and blood pressure, along with reduced risks of chronic disease. “Evidence is also accumulating that exposure to green space is associated with lower total mortality,” added Professor Heather.
Intrigued, I told myself I’d try to spend ten minutes outside every day to boost my mental and physical health, and while I had to settle for my garden rather than woodland, I enjoyed my time so much that I’m keen to make it a daily habit going forward.
Just ten minutes outside left me feeling refreshed and less stressed. I surprised myself by finding that I really enjoyed cloud gazing, watching seagulls flying overhead.
Over the sunny bank holiday weekend, I could hear children’s laughter echoing from a nearby garden. On the colder days, when nobody else was outdoors, the quiet was calming.
It was nice to have a moment to myself, watching a neighbour’s tree sway in the breeze. It was a great reminder that you can enjoy nature wherever you find it.
While I don’t have any hard evidence that the practice improved my health, it’s easy to see why it could make a difference. I took my ten minutes at the end of each work day, offering myself the chance to decompress and clear my mind before continuing with my evening. It was so simple and yet so effective.